Air Spring Abnormality Detection via State Estimation Model
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle body tilt control devices for railroad vehicles cannot accurately detect which air spring has an air supply or exhaust abnormality, leading to slow return to horizontal position and complicated repairs, affecting ride comfort and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A state estimation model using virtual gains is created to detect abnormalities in air supply or exhaust by applying an extended Kalman filter, allowing for precise identification of faulty air springs and valves, enabling quick return to horizontal position and easier repairs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the exhaust-side block valve remains closed, then the air spring height cannot return to original level, but the vehicle body cannot be returned to horizontal position
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors to detect air spring heights and feeds this information back to the control unit. The control unit compares actual heights with target heights and adjusts valve operations accordingly, enabling automatic correction of abnormal conditions and ensuring the vehicle body returns to horizontal position even when individual valves malfunction
Solution Approach 2:
The control system automatically detects abnormalities in air spring height and initiates corrective actions without manual intervention. The system self-diagnoses which air spring has the abnormality and self-corrects by controlling the supply and exhaust of air to restore proper vehicle body orientation
2Reliability
If the vehicle body tilt control device uses differential pressure regulating valve or LV valve to return vehicle body to horizontal position, then the vehicle body can return to original position, but the process is very slow
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects and switches between different valve types based on operational conditions. During normal operation, high-flow valves are used for rapid response. When returning to horizontal position, the system can switch to differential pressure regulating valves or LV valves for precise control, optimizing both speed and accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit changes operational parameters by selecting different valve configurations based on the vehicle's state. When rapid return to horizontal position is needed, the system adjusts flow rates and valve opening degrees to maximize speed while maintaining control stability
3Reliability
If the vehicle body tilt control device cannot determine which air spring has abnormality, then the control system must use backup valves, but the work in repairs is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
Sensors on each air spring provide continuous feedback to the control unit about actual heights. The control unit analyzes this feedback to identify which specific air spring has the abnormality, enabling precise diagnosis and simplifying repair by directing attention to the specific faulty component rather than requiring inspection of all four air springs
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual inspection and diagnosis with an automated electronic detection system. The control unit processes sensor data to automatically identify the faulty air spring, substituting complex mechanical diagnostic procedures with simple electronic analysis that provides immediate and accurate results
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
Provided is an abnormality detection method for a vehicle body tilt control device that makes it possible to determine which air spring has an air supply/exhaust abnormality. The present invention includes a model creation step for preparing a state estimation model for each of the front and rear vehicle halves 10 into which a vehicle is divided, and an abnormality detection step for applying a state estimation technique to the state estimation model to detect which one of the air springs 3 has an air supply/exhaust abnormality. The state estimation model is a model where, when flow rate command values for air supplied to/exhausted from the air springs included in each vehicle half are input, each of the input flow rate command values for air supplied to/exhausted from the air springs 3 is multiplied by a virtual gain and the results are averaged, and, based on the averages, the average of the heights of the air springs is output, where each virtual gain is included as a state variable.